Can I negotiate financial aid offers?
Yes! Politely appeal with competing offers or new financial circumstances.
How does financial aid work?
Submit the FAFSA and/or CSS Profile. Aid is based on need (grants, loans) and merit (scholarships).
Is senior year GPA important?
Yes! Colleges can rescind offers if grades drop significantly.
Are AP/IB classes required for admission?
No, but they show rigor. Focus on excelling in courses available to you.
Do colleges care about “demonstrated interest”?
Yes, most colleges and universities absolutely care about demonstrated interest. There are multiple ways to demonstrate interest: attend virtual tours (virtual or in-person), email admissions reps, or engage on social media to show enthusiasm. If you are deferred or waitlisted, consider sending a Letter of Continued Interest.
Can I reuse essays for multiple colleges?
Yes and no. You can reuse parts of essays or follow similar outlines, but you should always tailor them to each school’s prompts and values. Never mention the wrong college in an essay!
What’s the difference between Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), and Regular Decision (RD)?
- ED: Binding commitment if accepted (apply to 1 school). - EA: Non-binding early application (multiple schools). - RD: Standard deadline (no restrictions).
When should I start preparing for college applications?
Start exploring interests and building strong academic habits early (even in 9th grade), but formal application prep (essays, resumes, etc.) begins in junior year.
How many colleges should I apply to?
Most students succeed with 8 – 12 well-researched schools: 2 – 3 safeties, 3 – 5 matches, and 2 – 3 reaches. Highly accomplished students might consider applying to a higher proportion of reach schools, but every student should balance out their list with colleges of varied selectivity.
What GPA does my student need to get into the college of their choice?
Every high school has a different way of calculating grades, which makes it difficult to use GPA as a metric for college admissions. Some colleges provide aggregate GPA data for recently admitted students, but this is nowhere near as widely available as test score data. Some colleges standardize GPA themselves [...]